


A Little Bit of Fatherly Advice

by Islair



Category: The Emperor's Edge Series - Lindsay Buroker
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21922132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Islair/pseuds/Islair
Summary: A prequel to Archergirl's "The Assassin's Promise".Someone had to have planted the idea in everyone's favourite aromantic socially-awkward assassin's head. It would never have occurred to him to ask, otherwise.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	A Little Bit of Fatherly Advice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Archergirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archergirl/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Assassin´s Promise](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20326354) by [Archergirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archergirl/pseuds/Archergirl). 



Rias Starcrest paced while he waited. Sicarius was due to come down the corridor past his office any minute now, and he was feeling somewhat nervous, though he wasn't sure why he should. It was only going to be a friendly conversation after all.

_Yes, you're only going to try and convince the world's deadliest assassin to marry his girlfriend._

He opened the door a crack and peeked out. Aha. Here he was now. _Just act naturally._

Rias threw open the door. "Sicarius! Just the man!" He said with an enthusiastic and somewhat mischievous grin. "Come with me, I have something to show you!"

"Sir." Sicarius responded blandly, with a nod of greeting, and fell in beside his childhood idol.

Rias led him down the stairs and out of the building, taking the path towards the lake shore area where the prototype flugnustika was kept.

As they walked, Starcrest asked conversationally "How is Amaranthe doing?"

Sicarius, a little puzzled as to why Rias would ask this when he had spoken to Amaranthe only an hour ago, replied simply "She is well".

"Good, good." Rias answered in turn.

They arrived at the boathouse that protected the prototype from the elements and prying eyes. The guard at the door saluted and let them inside.

Rias made a beeline for the prototype's access hatch. He opened it and climbed down inside. Sicarius followed close behind.

"Over here." Rias pointed to a new addition to the complex machinery. "It may not look like much, but this new scrubber design means that the flugnustika can stay submerged for twice as long without the air getting stale." He opened up a hatch so Sicarius could take a closer look. With the assassin's attention occupied, it was time to bring the conversation round to the real point.

"You know, being down in here reminds me of when I proposed to Tikaya." Rias commented. "I'd had it all planned out - romantic location, candlelit meal - but I kept putting it off and off. Until we were stuck together in my first prototype and looking like we wouldn't make it out alive. So in the end I just blurted it out. She did say 'yes', eventually."

Sicarius did not respond, continuing to examine the scrubber innards closely. The man was seemingly blind to many of the more subtle aspects of social interaction. Rias decided he needed to take a more direct approach.

"I guess my point is that right now you have the time to organise the perfect proposal, so don't put off asking Amaranthe to marry you."

Sicarius froze in surprise. He was supposed to be asking Amaranthe to marry him? Why? They had already agreed to spend their lives together.

Rias sensed from Sicarius' sudden stillness that the idea of getting married had indeed not occurred to the assassin before now. Time to push home the message before he could come up with too many objections.

"Yes, I know you have already decided to spend your lives together. It's more like ... something to show the rest of the world that you are planning to stay together. And the legal paperwork will make it easier to arrange your taxes together, and inheritance and the like for your children when they are born."

Still no movement.

"And of course Amaranthe will be delighted by a romantic proposal."

Sicarius considered for a few more moments in silence, but he was no longer so rigidly still. Eventually he asked "What would you recommend for an optimal outcome?"

Rias grinned in relief. _Mission accomplished._ The hard part was over. Now to help him with the details.

"You'll want to choose a special location. And an activity that you enjoy together...."


End file.
